Find out how popular the last name Mapu is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mapu.

Mapu, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mapu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mapu in America

Mapu is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mapu surname appeared 130 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mapu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mapu to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mapu

The surname MAPU originated from the Mapuche indigenous people of central and southern Chile and western Argentina. It has its roots in the Mapudungun language, the ancestral language of the Mapuche. The term 'mapu' translates to 'land' or 'earth' in Mapudungun, indicating a connection to the land and territory of the Mapuche people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MAPU can be found in the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of Chile in the 16th century. These accounts mention Mapuche leaders and individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Mapuante or Mapunante, indicating its long-standing presence among the Mapuche people.

During the colonial era in Chile, the MAPU surname was often associated with Mapuche individuals who resisted Spanish colonization and defended their ancestral lands. Notable figures include Lautaro, a Mapuche toqui (military leader) born around 1534, who led successful campaigns against the Spanish conquistadors, and Caupolicán, another prominent toqui born in the early 16th century, known for his fierce resistance against the invading forces.

In the 19th century, the MAPU surname gained recognition through the works of José Manuel Mapu (1817-1884), a renowned Mapuche-Huilliche writer and intellectual. His novel "Cautiverio Feliz" (Happy Captivity), published in 1861, is considered one of the foundational works of Chilean literature and provided a unique perspective on Mapuche culture and society.

Another notable individual with the MAPU surname was Mariano Mapu (1858-1927), a Mapuche political leader and activist who fought for the rights and recognition of the Mapuche people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He played a crucial role in advocating for the preservation of Mapuche lands and cultural traditions during a period of widespread dispossession and marginalization.

The surname MAPU continues to be prevalent among Mapuche communities in Chile and Argentina, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy and cultural identity of the indigenous people of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mapu

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mapu.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mapu was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mapu has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mapu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mapu, please contact us.

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